Tag Archives: Cuba

11/18/21

When the Parade Ends

In this week’s reading, “The Parade Ends” by Reinaldo Arenas I was particularly interested in examining the “you” that appears throughout the story. The story is fast-paced with a constant shift in location; Arenas’ inclusion of the “you” furthers this manufactured chaos that seeks to represent the state of life in Cuba. There seems to be a particular intimacy between the narrator and “you.” When planning an escape, the narrator displays how the “you” is local and familiar with the problems facing Cuban society. The “you” instructs the narrator on what materials are needed to escape, where to get them, and how to keep them. Arenas reveals the unique knowledge of survival that is gained under oppressive circumstances. The “you” and the narrator have a certain level of intimacy based on their shared secret; the desire to escape.

We touched on in class that perhaps the “you” or the lizard do not need to be specifically interpreted, which I think was helpful in challenging my own reading of the story. In reexamining the “you,” I found a transitional moment between perspectives that perhaps could bring some clarity. On page 106, the narrator states that “we finished rounding out the plan… but now that clever one has disappeared again,  she’s slipped away,” creating a sense that “she” refers to the escape plan. This would be an interesting lens through which to view the story; the narrator is chasing his plan to escape, which is escaping him in itself. The lizard, or this plan, represents a desire to survive and live. The “you” remains more ambiguous but is involved in the desire to escape nonetheless.

11/2/21

Regan: A Night Predator (“Cinderella’s Secret Dream” )

Is it obvious that “Cinderella’s Secret Dream” is a story about four women, each in pain, and each trying to cope with this pain. However, the way in which each woman is referred to reflects the perceptions of the narrator herself. Regan, the narrator, often demonstrates her opinions and thoughts with her keen observations. But since she is narrating the story, one cannot trust the accuracy of her words. For example, she portrays Cleis in a beautiful light, often praising her beauty and attributing her behaviours as virtues. Meanwhile, she compares her own family members with the worst vices and attributes. Her hatred for her family could be a projection of the hatred she feels for herself. Throughout the story, she barely refers to herself, and when she does, she often does it in a dark light. I believe she uses her family as a means to outwardly express her own self-hatred instead of directly hating herself. Her low self-esteem is softly noted by the audience when it is revealed that it was her that used the worst description to portray herself. Interestingly, Regan compares herself to an owl multiple times, however, it is important to note that owls are predators. Similarly, Regan is a predator; she uses negative mental thoughts to “harm” her family and herself. In addition, Regan is similar to an owl because owls use the dark to prey. Likewise, the reason for Regan’s hatred is because she keeps her thoughts in the dark by not letting anyone know them. Thus, not letting anyone return feedback on the correctness of her thoughts. She is only able to prey on herself and her family because it is located in the dark (a place where no one knows; her mind).